Aldosterone is the principal mineralcorticosteroid which controls electrolyte balance, influences blood circulation and blood pressure, and exerts an antitoxic effect on certain venoms. We propose to investigate a partial synthesis of aldosterone which employs the photolysis of alpha-cyanoperesters to introduce key functionality at C-11 and C-18 in steroids. This new photochemical reaction holds great promise for the introduction of functionality at unactivated carbon-hydrogen bonds.